Chicken Tikka Masala

Chicken Tikka Masala with Garlic Spinach

I still have yet to find a really wonderful Indian recipe that I am capable of making on a regular basis but this tikka masala has been in the mix for quite some time and I always come back for more. While it is delish, it is missing the depth of the dish that you get from a real restaurant. It really is an Americanized version considering it doesn’t require any real Indian spices, which is great because I hate having to buy specific spices to try out one dish. The dish is made in two parts and I usually do the marinade the night before to make the process quicker when its dinner time.

Marinade
1 C Yogurt
1 half lemon, juiced
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 tbs minced fresh ginger
1 tsp salt
3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts cut up into bite sized pieces.

Sauce
1 tbs butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp paprika
½ tsp salt
1 (8oz) can tomato sauce
1 cup coconut milk (you can sub regular whole milk or cream if you prefer)

Step 1: In a large bowl mix ingredients for marinade and stir chicken in making sure that each piece is covered. Refrigerate for a minimum of an hour and up to 24 hours. 

Skewered grilled Chicken

Step 2: Either skewer the chicken pieces and grill or place on a broiler pan and broil for 5-8 min turning once so that the pieces are charred on the outside. In a large sauce pan, saute garlic and jalapeno in the butter for 2 minutes. Add spices, tomato sauce and milk. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a slow bubble. Allow the sauce to reduce for 10 minutes, (this can be done while you are cooking the chicken) add chicken and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Serve over a bed of brown rice and top with a sauteed garlic spinach.